Rashayya-3anjar environment corridor moves forward

With the support of the Lebanon Reforestation Initiative (LRI) funded by USAID and implemented by the US Forest Service, the Social and Environmental Corridor Planning Committee for Rashayya launched last Saturday its 10-year environmental strategic plan to enhance the ecological conditions and expand the area’s green cover. The action plan embraces a number of goals, namely: reforestation, forest fire prevention, awareness campaigns, forest management, eco-tourism, capacity building and communication planning. Present at the launch event were, USAID representative, Elias Haddad, in addition to representatives of the involved associations and mayors of some 13 municipalities targeted by the Corridor action plan namely, Rashayya, Kfardanis, Kawkaba, Ain Arab, Majdal Balhis, Mdawakha, Rafid, Bakka, Dahr el Ahmar, Anjar, Mhaidseh, Khirbit Ruha and Bireh. In his speech, Elias Haddad stressed the important role of the above committee in liaising with neighbor local communities and inspiring them to address their common environmental needs. The ceremony closed with a gathering in Anjar which saw the planting of a tree in the town’s reforestation site to underline the significance of teamwork in the restoration and protection of Lebanon’s forests. It is to be noted, that this environmental and social corridor is an arcade that seeks to expand Rashayya forests towards Anjar while covering the 13 towns listed above. The importance of the project lies in strengthening the links between neighboring local communities in common environmental areas. (Al Mustaqbal, October 18, 2016)